Top Ten Manuka Honey Brands

Honey, Not Just For Your Toast or Greek Yogurt

Manuka Honey has long been renowned for it’s healing qualities through it’s immense antibacterial properties. So much so that companies in America are utilizing the health benefits of Manuka honey to create medical dressings which are reported to reduce the time wounds take to heal. Derma Sciences (part owned by Comvita a large honey producer in New Zealand) has been pioneering this technology and received FDA approval for the production of the product in September 2012.

Only Consider the Original Source of Manuka Honey – New Zealand

Medical science aside, there are now a plethora of brands in the market to choose from who have sourced only the best produce from some of the finest bee hives from around the country. Now to cut down the confusion, we have not even considered the Australian produced/replicated Manuka Honey products due to it’s lack of authenticity and some would argue quality. That’s right we are going straight for the original source produce in the eco-friendly country of New Zealand, who have fast become world famous for taking this type of honey to the world.

The Selection Process

To make sure we were selecting the right honey brands we collated and used the below attributes during the selection process. Whilst we don’t have access to the latest laboratory to test out the medical prowess of each honey we think we have a fairly robust selection process in place to make sure the right honey is being chosen. If you would prefer to judge for yourself then you can order most of the brands online, get them delivered straight to your door and choose which one is going to be the best tor order in bulk.

API Health

Happy Valley

Mossop’s

Cammells Honey

Ora Honey

Waitemata Honey

Not just about the honey

New Zealand is an amazing place not only for it’s vast assortment of tourist attractions packed into two small Islands (technically 3 if you count Stewart Island, famous for it’s tranquility and rugged beauty) but also it’s abundance of natural product which it exports in the millions of tonnes globally each year. So don’t just taste and enjoy the product this country has to offer, plan a trip over here to come sample what it has to offer in person.

In this article

I live in a very special country called New Zealand. It's beauty, nature, people, culture and attitude inspire me to write about all things New Zealand. If you would like to contribute to www.naturalsouth.com then please don't hesitate to contact us. We accept guest posts in any language as long as it's about New Zealand.

I like your article … It’s informative ! Thank you for the tips you provided about the brands that people should go for .. Especially when it come from a native of NZ , you mentioned among the brands “Airborne “, we have this brand here in the US , I tried it and it tastes like caramel , I don’t know if they added caramel flavor to it , and it does not have the UMF trademark , I tried comvita, nz health naturally , manuka health , east cape they all taste almost the same except for airborne ! Did you try their honey ?

Thanks for the comment, we really appreciate it. In terms of Airborne Manuka honey, it’s one of the oldest and most trusted honey brands in New Zealand and they would not be adding any artificial flavours to their product (especially not caramel). It should also be noted that varieties of Manuka Honey do have taste qualities associated smooth caramel. However if that’s not to your liking and you have tried some of the others, then one brand which we did not include in the list but we highly recommend is called Watson&Son. This up and coming brand is seriously giving some of the larger businesses a run for their money and speaking from personal experience, the taste of the honey is amazing. Their product which might best fit your pallet would be the “Wild Flower” flavour one. We hope that helps and let us know if you have any more specific questions that we can answer about New Zealand product.

Thanks for your prompt response and thanks for the extra tips!
As for watson&son brand manuka honey ; we don’t have it here in the US, however, I emailed the website and here is their response:
Thanks for your enquiry and interest in Watson & Son. We currently are not distributing our own brand into the States, we have one distributor who sells under his own brand called ManukaGuard. If you google this you should be able to purchase through an online pharmacy.

Kind regards,

Sales & Marketing│Watson & Son Ltd

I am trying to get this brand desperately , but in vain , the manuka guard brand they mentioned has no trademark or anything to state their credibility !
Thanks again

That’s a shame they are not distributing to the US yet. Another quality brand which you might not have tried but comes highly recommended and can be bought through Amazon is Happy Valley Honey. I hope you can order this and it’s to your liking?

I checked it out on Amazon , it just says Active +20 on the label , I heard Dr. Polan in one his recent videos stating that if someone wanted to buy manuka honey he or she has to go with either MGO brand or NPA , the former is for Manuka Health and the latter is for watson & son… What are your comments towards this statement ?

It depends on what you are looking for Abdullah. If you are looking for a honey with a high UMF then brands like Happy Valley or Comvita are great. But as you were originally talking about taste then then it might be good to try out something like Happy Valley.

Hey there, thanks for your very useful and informative article. In your reply above, you recommend MGO and Comvita “if one is mostly looking for high UMF content”; while Comvita tops your list and does have plenty of high UMG honeys on offer, Manuka Health (the company which sells, for example, MGO 550 honey) not only is nowhere to be found on your top-ten list, but they also do not seem to use the UMF trademark at all, instead preferring to go with their proprietary MGO system. So, out of curiosity, how come MGO doesn’t make your top-ten, and how do you reconcile the MGO and UMF system? I seem to have read that UMF is a more solid/stable measure of actual honey strength (in terms of its inherent properties). Cheers!

Hi GL, the reason MGO based products do not make our top ten is because we believe that for the highest quality manuka honey from New Zealand it requires the independent UMFHA organization verification. This verification gives the amount of unique Manuka antibacterial property which exists in the product. If you like, we are happy to review some of the MGO and Active rated products?

Actually, no need, cause I trusted your judgement in the first place, and went for API Health (bought it locally in Europe though). I’m sure MGO is a solid product in its own right, but given scarcity issues and related, I strongly feel the UMFHA stamp of approval is rather critical when choosing honey mostly for its “medical” properties. Thanks again for shedding light on such a unique and special product of your lovely country!

Just checked prices for comparable items (UMF 20+) of your list’s top four, and I found a rather sizable discrepancy: Comvita comes in highest at $135.10, while API is bottom at around $48 per 250g (hnz and NZhealthnaturally are somewhere in the middle of this wide range). Given all four products are UMF 20+ certified, I’m curious to know your take on why, for example, Comvita has such a huge premium in price over API – is it because they are very well known internationally and do lots of marketing, or is it down to some inherent premium product qualities? As said, quite interested in your opinion, given price is almost triple for seemingly identical products. Cheers,
G

Price was not really a consideration when creating a top 10 list about a quality product like this. But we might look at researching another list where this has a bigger impact on our decision making? As mentioned our main deciding attributes were: success or size of the company, user ratings, taste, packaging, origin. In terms of the price discrepancy? Comvita are a heritage brand from New Zealand with years of experience in sourcing, quality control, producing and packaging to the highest standards required to deliver premium grade manuka honey internationally. Therefore I would suggest that there is a premium you pay for this trust brand/process, international infrastructure and the fact it’s simply one of the best quality products in the market. However, API are still a fantastic option and that’s why they came in at number 4 so I don’t think you will be disappointed with either product.

Thank you for the detailed reply. I hear you and pretty much concur on all the various points you made, however I was still somewhat surprised by such a price difference for alike products – $135.10 to $48. That said, I’ve been enjoying API’s products over the past couple of months, and might still try out Comvita’s as well in the next few weeks; I have a feeling that such an enormous premium might be unwarranted; still, I might change my mind after a couple of spoons 😉

Thanks for your always prompt reply and for all the precious info posted on the site. Keep it up!
G

Whilst Wedderspoon is a great brand with some amazing products it’s manuka honey range does not come with a UMF (unique manuka honey factor) rating. Also, only some of their honey products contain authentic manuka honey sourced from New Zealand. All brands mentioned in this list are sourced, produced and exported from New Zealand using authentic manuka honey. We hope that helps.

Wedderspoon is proud to carry the only Non-GMO Project Verified Manuka honey along with organic and non-organic versions of manuka and other raw honey varieties. We do source our manuka honey exclusively from New Zealand. Just to clarify, Wedderspoon does not use the UMF or MGO trademarks, as we feel that the parameters that they use are too limiting and exclude other components that we feel are important in choosing a superior quality manuka honey. In addition, these processes involve heating the honey, which automatically alters the valuable enzymes within, and we are very serious about not altering the contents in any way. We consistently strive to keep all of the natural benefits of the honey from being compromised. Our 12 and 16 numbers are potency indicators of a total average of the multiple MEASURABLE components we look for in our RAW, Unpasteurized, Natural, Authentic Manuka Honey. Some of these factors are pollen count, PH level consistency, hydrogen peroxide, antioxidant levels, live enzymes, naturally occurring Methylglyoxal, phenolic compounds and other key factors, all tested by our unique NMR technology, which assures the quality of our authentic manuka honey.

Contrary to made belief, Wedderspoon does provide one of the few real unadulterated Manuka honey on the market place and has been recently approved by the Ministry for Primary Industry as a provider of the KFactor methodology, which will compete against the UMF and MGO methodologies, providing one of the highest standards in the industry. All of our Manuka honey are of the purest quality and have on of the best Manuka pollen count available in the country.

Hi Rezaul, we assume you are looking for a product which is halal certified? Unfortunately we don’t believe these brands have a honey product which is halal certified (Comvita have an Olive leaf extract). There are halal UMF honey’s out there but they are not New Zealand produced and we would not recommend them. However as an alternative, Manuka Health New Zealand are kiwi based company with Halal honey products but use the MGO rating rather than UMF. They would be your best bet at the moment but we will keep searching for a New Zealand produced, high UMF product.

Really surprised having your so prompt reply! I didnt’t say or refer anything regarding halal,lol. What I need is totally raw and pure honey which should be as least processed as possible. And,both taste and smell need to be just as same as raw honey,which we get just when beekeepers collect honey from honeycombs. I have found a honey named ‘Comvita Manuka Honey UMF 15+ ‘. Do you think it will meet my purposes? If or if not, pl. mention other alternative brand names too. Thank you.

Hahaha sorry about that:) All Comvita products are produced to a high standard and can be trusted. So we can definitely recommend products from them. They even have a UMF 20+ manuka honey product but I think the UMF 15+ is perfect for what you are looking for.

Thank you again. Among too many brands, searching the perfect one is very tough! With your help, I hope I have found what I am looking for. I am going to order this above mentioned honey. I will write my feedback after taste! Coz it is very important site to provide relief for those like me who are lost in too many honey brands!

Hi KP, our top ten list is for authentic manuka honey, solely produced and sold from New Zealand. Although Australian by Nature sources it’s manuka honey from New Zealand we are not familiar with the complete process it goes through and therefore cannot recommend it. This by no means suggests it’s a bad product but we would recommend buying UMF certifeid New Zealand honey from the brands we have listed. There are other great brands outside of the top ten list such as: Watson & Son and J.Friend and Co

I think you’ll find Australian By Nature uses Australian Leptospermum honey, which is usually Leptospermum polygalifolium, not NZ’s Leptospermum scoparium. Nevertheless, Australian firms often call theirs “Manuka” or “Australian Manuka”. It tastes quite different from scoparium.

“good day, inquiring on whether all new Zealand sourced manuka honey is raw /unprocessed/unfiltered …,as recently my father has purchased the Red Seal brand of Manuka bush honey..,and had no labels of whether its raw/ unprocessed….thank you…”

Yes they are good but they use a different quality measurement called MGO (which is their own standard so not used on anything but their brands). The brands we have selected for this list all use UMF which is an internationally recognized and standardized measure for monitoring the complete production process of manuka honey.

Hi,
I have two questions:
1, NZ Manuka Natural (http://www.nzmanukanatural.com) sells the same products UMF® 20+ Manuka Honey that NZ Health Naturally (listed #2 in your top 10 brands) sells? are they same company?
2, I have heard that honey shouldn’t be mixed with hot water as it will lose health benefits. On NZ Manuka Natural site, one type of usage of Manuka honey is to mix with hot water. Should honey or manuka honey mix with hot water?

Hey Victoria,
1) Yes, they are the same company.
2) Ideally you don’t mix manuka honey with boiling or near boiling water as it breaks down the enzymes found in the honey. If you would like it in a drink we would recommend making a smoothie:)

I’m looking for a honey to add to my hair regime. Originally I was researching raw unpasteurized honey. I read about Manuka honey via a hair blog, then started my own research. Would I get better results from Manuka honey vs raw unpasteurized? I would be utilizing the honey as part of my deep conditioning process?
Thank you for your time in answering my question.
K

Hi, we are not actually too sure about the pro’s and con’s of using honey in a hair regime. However just to clarify, quality manuka honey from New Zealand is not pasteurized. If it was heavily pasteurized (especially if a heating process is part of the pasteurization) like some table honey in the market, then it would loose all it’s health benefits. The beauty of manuka honey is that it is a raw product with numerous antibacterial properties.

Hi there
I was wondering if you anything about Phoenix Honey beacause i wanted to buy there Manuka Honey 25+ , and when i asked the seller why isnt it rated by UMF he told me it was before but they are too expensive thats why he found a cheaper way to do that and they give the same results , should i belive that ?

UMF is a standardized rating which helps to ensure quality production through out the entire process. So if a “cheaper” way has been found to produce manuka honey then potentially the standard is not going to be as high.

We would recommend going with a product that is UMF rated. Then go for something that is UMF 20 or higher so anti-bacterial qualities are known to be high. We also recommend on buying New Zealand sourced, processed and packaged manuka honey.

I’d like to ask what brand do you recommend for me in canada? i would like to use the honey to aid my digestive problems. I’d would appreciate if you can advice which one should i buy, the one that has strong healing effects.

Hi Hon, there are some really good up an comers. One in particular that we have tasted recently not only has a great range of flavours infused with NZ product like: christmas pohutukawa, lavender, northern rata, wild thyme etc but has the added benefit of being produced organically. The brand is – J.Friend and Co: . Whilst they don’t have a UMF rating on their products (which we tend to recommend), they are organically certified and a brand to keep your eye on in the future.

[…] a rather polarizing subject in the world of naturally sourced products (just check out the comments on our post here on what we see are our top ten brands) and so it should be! With any product where customers are […]

Hi Hoang, UMF 15+ would be absolutely fine and less expensive than UMF 20+ but I think the thing you need to consider is not the UMF but the natural sugar in honey. Therefore we would suggest cautious moderation when including manuka honey in any children’s diets and definitely not the portion size of adults. We hope that helps?

It just depends on your child’s diet. So if they have a lot of other sugars in their diet then just consider what Manuka honey might contribute to their daily intake. On its own Manuka honey has great health benefits for both adults and children and is definitely a good option to help improve overall immunity.

Due to food safety standards manuka honey requires an expiry date of around 4 years but in reality it never really “goes off” so you don’t need to worry too much there. In terms of the bacterial qualities of manuka honey deteriorating, it’s more down to the quality controls implemented by the brands responsible for producing and packaging the product. So if the company enforces a stringent level of quality control then there will be little to no fluctuations on bacterial quality over time.

Thank you for the informative article! I’ve only recently found out about the benefits of Manuka Honey and I really appreciate your effort to come up with a list of recommendations. Unfortunately the brands you have listed cannot be found locally. Have you heard of the brand NuZeaBee? I’ve bought the Manuka Honey from this brand as it was the cheapest I could find for me to try Manuka for the first time. It claims to have no water added and a product of New Zealand. It does not have a UMF rating though.

Hi Nabilah, are you in Singapore? You should still be able to order some of these brands locally. In terms of the brand NuZeaBee, we have not come across their product in stores in New Zealand. For this reason we are unable to recommend it.

Hi Divia, Queen Bee Manuka Honey is not UMF rated, it’s “12+ Active” which is a different measurement. It’s also not a well known brand in New Zealand. Whilst the honey may have been sourced from NZ we are unsure of it’s supply chain and therefore cannot recommend it.

[…] Royal Jelly contains a totally unique and powerful essential fatty acid that is called 10-HDA (10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid). It is the levels of 10-HDA that determine the quality and potency of Royal Jelly. The higher the content the faster the benefits will work and this is highly influenced by the products origin. A good quality fresh Royal Jelly should contain between 1.4% to 2.3% 10-HDA. Any higher than this is exceptional and it is only in New Zealand that the highest level of 10-HDA in fresh Royal Jelly can be found. New Zealand’s royal jelly has higher potency than European and Asian jelly. This premium in its nutritional properties is considered to be an effect of the unique and pure New Zealand environment in which the bees thrive and the harvesting methods used. It is a highly involved manual process that takes time as the milky liquid has to be removed from the queen bee’s chamber in a careful manner so as not to disrupt the work of the hive. To give us some perspective we found out that a working hive produces only around 100 grams of royal jelly a month! Along with the health benefits this explains the price premium we pay for authentic, pure Royal Jelly. Coming soon is our review of New Zealand’s best Royal Jelly product. In the mean time check out our Top 10 Manuka Honey Brands. […]

Do you know if Haddrell’s of Cambridge manuka honey is as good as Comvita?

I went to my local health food stores in Singapore, Nature’s Farm, where they stock up a variety of Manuka Honey. On the shelves, Comvita comes only in UMF 15+. For Haddrell’s of Cambridge, it goes all the way to 20+.

I was wondering if Haddrell’s of Cambridge is reliable in terms of its UMF ratings. Haddrell’s of Cambridge’s 16+ and 20+ are in great abundance! Waitemata and North Island are also available in the Manuka Honey section.

Will Haddrell’s of Cambridge 16+ be as good as Comvita 15+ and will Haddrell’s of Cambridge 20+ be superior to Comvita 15+ because of higher ratings? It feels like Haddrell’s of Cambridge 20+ is a churned out rating.

Hey Jamie, Haddrell’s of Cambridge are a great local brand backed by a strong New Zealand heritage (they are number 7 on our list as you have seen). It is also a more boutique brand than Comvita and is privately owned. Both are UMF rated and have to abide by the standards that come with this rating so it comes down to your personal preference in taste and company ethos rather than any quality concerns.

Hi there, thank for your comments. I went ahead with Haddrell’s of Cambridge, my first manuka honey. It tastes so good. I also use it as my facial cleanser. My face is definitely softer but it looks a tad greasy and shiny after a few hours. I intend to use it as face mask to treat my seborrheic dermatitis. Hope it works!

We are really pleased to hear you are happy with your purchase of Haddrell’s of Cambridge Manuka Honey, we love it too!

As for your comment about using manuka honey as a mask we always recommend you speak to your doctor if you are treating a medical condition with honey. However, if you are looking for ideas for natural home remedies we like to make a face mask using 1 raw egg with 1 tablespoon of manuka honey. Spread on the face and leave for 10 mins. It is great for toning, softening and killing bacteria whilst ensuring skin remains moisturised but not greasy. Banana, oats, Manuka honey and coconut oil are another great ingredient combination for an all natural, at home face mask. Just mix in a blender and apply.

It’s great that the top 10 Manuka Honey brands are listed but it is sadly lacking in where it is you can purchase them in the US other than online. It would be really great to know what stores or natural markets actually have the UMF certified Manuka honey from the 5 to the 20 in stock and purchasable immediately rather than being forced to buy online and wait weeks.

Hi Melody I think it depends on where you shop online in terms of delivery times. As we don’t know where you live we can’t really help you with regards to recommending near by stores that may stock certain NZ brands on Manuka Honey.

Thanks for the info! I was in New Zealand last November and bought Watson & Son manuka honey with UMF 20. Now it’s all gone and I want to buy more. Since I didn’t see this brand on your top ten, which brands would you recommend with an UMF 20? I’m interested in the properties this honey has, not on the flavour. Since Comvita was your number one on the list, I checked their website, but their UMF 20 honey is sold out, plus there is quite a considerable price difference in comparison to Watson & Son’s honey. Is there really a difference in quality when they are both UMF 20?

Thank you! One question, is it safe to have manuka honey with an UFM 20 over a long period of time? Since it kills bacteria, can it also kill the healthy bacteria in our body that is so important for our immune system?

Once someone is fine with no health issues, which UMF would you recommend to have on a daily basis to maintain a good immune system?

All in moderation obviously as with any product but it’s absolutely safe to consume over a long period of time. In terms of your daily requirements it will come down to your budget and potentially taste preference. UMF 10+ should be more than enough.

Only Manuka Honey I could locate here in Riyadh Saudi Arabia is TranzAlpine New Zealand brand at GNC. The label is MG 50+, Organic Multiforal Blend. Know anything about this particular company/brand?
Thanks,
Sam

TranzAlpine is a great brand with a good history. It’s also organically certified honey which makes it a bit more unique. We actually featured this brand on our guest post on GrownUps: Top 3 Organic Manuka Honey Brands

Hi Campbell,
Thank you for sharing your fruitful info here. I am new to Manuka and recently bought UMF 10+ and 18+ from brand ” Honey New Zealand ” for my family use. I bought them in Australia and wonder if it’s a trustful brand as I could not find it in your list. May I have your advice?
Also a friend of mine using raw Manuka umf 24+ from Honeyworld. Again is that brand trustful in your country?
Thank you.

Hi Loan,
The Honey New Zealand brand is not a well known brand in New Zealand and seems to be created purely for distribution. In terms of Honey World, it’s also not a known brand in New Zealand as it’s produced here but packaged and sold for the Singapore market. If you can find a honey like Airborne which has distribution in Singapore then this would be a good option.

Just leant form Watson & Son website that the NZ government has released guidelines about labelling Manuka honey, according to it since January 2016, there will be only MGO labelling, NPA or UMF labelling will be no longer allowed. Wonder if that information is true?

Could you share the information about the camparity between the 2 standards of MGO and NPA/UMF? ei NPA 5, 10, 15, 20+ equals to …MGO+.

The link within the Watson & Son article is broken. If you wish to read more details about Manuka Honey labelling then this is the information you are looking for: Manuka Honey Labelling FAQ. The UMF rating parameters are looking to change in accordance with these labeling requirements.

Thanks for your question. We are currently investigating skincare products that use medical grade honey that is helpful to acne prone skin. We will be posting more information shortly so please keep checking back. One product we are interested in is HoneyLab. This is because their products have undergone clinical trials and they use natural ingredients from New Zealand.

Hi Mat, Apicare are a great New Zealand brand and we definitely recommend them. We will look to review some of their products for you and we have mentioned them in the article about: Best Uses for Manuka Honey

I have no any ideas , which type i use to be a honey because i’m from India and there lots of branded products are defected. then tell me which is best benefitials about honey and how to i get that product?

They are not a well known New Zealand brand and is only for export into Malaysia. Are any of the brands that we have recommended in our list available in your area? If they are then we suggest trying those.

Hi Alex, Manuka Health are a good New Zealand company offering genuine Manuka Honey. They rate their honey by measuring the MGO (methylglyoxal) activity which gives Manuka Honey its unique non-peroxide activity. Both the UMF and MGO ratings measure the same thing. We will write an article shortly on UMF and MGO honey so you can see how they compare.

Hi Alex, can you let us know which country you are in as we may have some other recommendations for you? We were unfamiliar with a couple of the brands in your list so we sought some expert advise in the industry. We recommend Manuka Health for a number of reasons. It is one of the largest exporters of New Zealand Manuka Honey and it takes pride in it’s quality control procedures and invests in ensuring they have good technical expertise. We are less sure of the other two brands. Streamland may be a credible company but they do not meet our criteria for being the best and Honey World, if you check out their website, specialise in drying products first and foremost.

Is Manuka honey and propolis good for pregnant women? and
is there any website that you would like to recommend to me(I live in Hong Kong) to purchase above products remotely from New Zealand?
since my friends who just backed from New Zealand told me that it would be more reasonable to purchase there instead of in Hong Kong, around in 70% off in New Zealand.

I would like to share that propolis capsule works extremely well to my nasal allergy, a non-stop running nose.
Do you know the working mechanism of this?

Hi Karen,
You can find out more about propolis in our article on The Health Benefits of Bee Propolis – Natures Defense http://www.naturalsouth.com/health-benefits-propolis-natures-defence/ This natural bee pollen product has been found to be rich in amino acids, vitamins and natural additives including caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). The combination of these agents can result in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral medicinal benefits, which is great for people who like to harness the power of nature to treat their ailments. We are glad to hear it is working for you.

We recommend that you consult a health professional before adding propolis to your diet and if you are pregnant then we advise you consult a professional with regards to Manuka Honey too.

Tahi Honey appears to be a reputable company that harvest their honey in Northland. We could not find the MGO (methylglyoxal) levels on their packs to understand the antibacterial activity. They use the UMF system. This is a great tasting honey but if you are looking for active manuka honey we would choose their UMF 15+ Manuka Honey only.

Hi Edwin,
Is BBNZ Manuka Honey active 20+ the brand of Honey? If it is, it’s not a known brand in New Zealand therefore we would recommend moving to a more trusted brand such as the ones listed in this article.

Hi Michael,
Authentic, high quality manuka honey is produced in the North Island of New Zealand through bees pollinating the native manuka bush. This is Australian honey produced in the “pristine bush and coastal areas of the Northern New South Wales coast in Australia.” If you are looking for authentic manuka honey then I suggest looking for one of the New Zealand brands we have recommended.

Hi Richard, Airborne are great if you are interested in a variety of floral honey flavours. They have a strong scientific ethos that you can see on the side of their packs where they detail important information such as pollen count. This means you can be sure that they are true to the honey type they are selling. Airborne are not a member of the UMFA as I believe they follow their own quality systems that they strongly believe delivers an authentic honey. We recommend them for their great range of floral honey types such as Clover and Kamahi. Thanks, Emma

Hi there, Apihealth are a great New Zealand Honey company that have founders who are dedicated to the industry. We recommend that you purchase their UMF 20+ rated Manuka Honey. There is also the option to purchase Manuka Honey from New Zealand companies that ship internationally such as Manuka Health. Thanks, Emma

Hi Ken, The Honey Company have a brand called Sweet Nature. They appear to be a reputable company so if you are looking for a range of great tasting flavours this is a brand to try. In terms of their Manuka Honey we can not find any information on the MGO levels so if you do purchase this make sure you buy their UMF 15+ and nothing less. Thanks, Emma

Hi there, i have been researching on this particular brand called Wild Cape, but i can’t find it on the UMF Honey Association Licensee list. But on the Wild Cape website, they do state that they are UMF-licensed and use of UMF logo on their bottles too. I live in Singapore and this is one of the more affordable ones. Would love to hear from you whether you would recommend Wild Cape, or alternatively, which other brand that would be available in Singapore!

Hi Elaine, Wild Cape is a good New Zealand honey company who operate their own hives and mainly specialise in Manuka Honey. They are a member of the UMFA and we would recommend purchasing their UMF 15+ Manuka Honey. Enjoy!

Hi I live in dubai and there is a manuka brand called wild honey mg 200+from new Zealand that I have been buying it mentions on the bottle that it is mhf association certified but it’s not listed on the link.is it a reliable brand ?as I give it to my husband who has immunity issues ;also, what strength should I use?is 200mg plus sufficient/any good?

Hi Sarah, Wild Honey is a reputable NZ company with hives in the Coromandel. From what we know they are a hands on, passionate company that measure the MGO in their product (this ensures that you are purchasing genuine Manuka Honey with antibacterial activity). We would recommend purchasing their MG 400+ for your husband. Have a look at our interview with Dr Peter Molan which explains why we recommend a high level of MGO: http://www.naturalsouth.com/dr-peter-molan-how-to-find-genuine-manuka-honey/ Thanks, Emma

Hi I am from Singapore. Any good brands of manuka honey available in Singapore and what types of manuka honey is suitable for kids age from 7 to 9 years old?
Some site states standard manuka, raw umf manuka, enriched umf manuka and premium umf manuka. Is there a difference in health benefits? And for kids is standard manuka sufficient?

In terms of the benefits for children we recommend a standard Manuka Honey that has the NPA rating on pack – the non peroxide activity. Not all brands do this so the next best thing is a UMF rating. Go for a UMF rating above 15 to experience any benefits. Standard manuka honey that comes with a rating is what you need to look for and it doesn’t have to be a specialised product for kids. We have an article coming up this month that helps you demystify the ratings on honey so sign up to our newsletter so you don’t miss it.

I am not sure which brands you have available to you in Singapore. If you want to send me some names I can make a recommendation for you.

Hi Emma
Currently in Singapore, I can find Comvita umf 5+, 15+, manuka health in mgo, woodlands and nzhealth naturally . Which brand is a better choice?
The Comvita umf5 batch are expiring in sep 2016. That is why I am holding back my purchase.
Appreciate your advise. Thanks.

Hi Jennie, we are big fans of Comvita and Manuka Health brands so we would recommend these to you. Personally, I prefer to purchase a fresh pot of honey but really manuka honey doesn’t expire as long as it is stored correctly (air tight container and away from heat). We also recommend you purchase a UMF 15+ Manuka honey is order to get the most benefits. Thanks, Emma

What site would you recommend for a trusted quality of manuka Honey in Germany?
And which brand. I am interested in this honey for medical (personal) reasons, more exactly for it`s antibacterial properties, so I would only buy the best and most concentrated on the market. Thank you!

You can purchase genuine Manuka Honey from NZ on Amazon from Germany. The brands that they sell on the site that we recommend are Comvita and Happy Valley. We also suggest you purchase their UMF 20+ products if you are looking to use the honey for medicinal reasons. Thanks!

hello,
i could not find anyone that sells top quality manuka honey online,
i even contacted prof molan who referred me to watson & son and they told me they only sell 100kg for international shoppers! very disappointing!
and i need to buy at least 10kg for my family & myself,
so would you kindly refer me to any online seller of “top quality new zealand manuka honey” that offers international shipping,
best regards,

Hi there, Watson & Sons are a great company with genuine Manuka Honey. That is a shame they only sell in bulk to international shoppers though. Could you let me know which country you are in and I will send through some suggestions. Thanks, Emma

Wedderspoon premium Raw Manuka honeys Active 16+, I don’t see this in top 10 Manuka Honey Brand, therefore I would like to know it’s a right Manuka brand ? which I am planning to buy. Till now I was having API but at presently it is not available in India.

Hi Vivek, we have recently looked into Wedderspoons and they are a nice company to deal with. Unfortunately, there were not willing to share further information about their K factor rating system, specifically their pollen analysis so we can not recommend this brand either way. Thanks, Emma

I came accros this manuka honey brand (Natural Solutions Limited, East Cape Manuka) but it is not listed in your top 10. Also it is considerably cheaper than other brands like Comvita or Watson & Son. What do you think about it this brand?

Hi Paul, I am afraid we are not familiar with this brand of Manuka Honey so I can not give you a recommendation. They are very reasonably priced and there is some assurance as their products are UMF certified. Thanks, Emma

Hi Emma,
Can you please tell me if I can give one tea spoon a day of Comvita Manuka honey 15+ to my daughter which is 2 years and 8 months (32 months)? and if a cold or sore throat comes to give her 2 a day morning and afternoon? Any suggestion like if its better on empty stomach or doesn’t really matter.
She loves the taste so we don’t have problems in what way to give her (she always asks for more 🙂 but one I think is enough, its high in sugar anyway so keep an eye on that too 🙂
Also because it is expensive (probably the most expensive one I have found) I’m thing of Watson & Son or Manuka Health (a little bit cheeper) but can you help me please with MGO rating which is good or similar to 15+ if thats ok for my daughters age.

Hi Cat, thanks for your message. Manuka Honey is fine to give to kids over the age of 1. This is because the digestive system is still immature under 1 and if the honey happened to contain a spore of very rare bacterium it can cause serious food poisoning in babies. As your daughter is 32 months she will be totally fine.

To answer your question on UMF versus MGO rating to have the same level of benefit as a UMF 15+ choose MGO 600.

Manuka Honey is wonderful for sore throats, especially if they are a bacterial infection. One teaspoon a day should be great for this age and it can be either eaten from a spoon or mixed in food such as yoghurt. If it is from a spoon the coating effect of the honey will also help to temporarily soothe symptoms also.

Hi Mohammed, we are not familiar with this brand and can not be sure they have their own hives. Unless we hear back from them with details of their set up they won’t feature in our top 10. Thanks, Emma

Hi Matilda, I’m afraid we have not come across this brand before. I’ve had a look at their website and they are UMF certified. I could not find any information on the location of their hives or their company history. Hope that helps, Emma

please I WANT TO KNOW THE BEST BRAND FOR SELLING HONEY IN NEW ZEALAND. FRIENDS HAS TOLD ME COMVITA IS THE BEST BRAND THAT SELLING HONEY HERE. BUT I AM NOT SURE ABOUT IT, I WANT AS A GIFT FOR MY FAMILY AND REALLY WANT THE BEST THING .

Hi Derrick, we are less familiar with this brand and its history. With Manuaka Honey you do get what you pay for really but if you are looking for a well priced but quality product why don’t you try some of the brands further down our Top 10 list. Thanks, Emma

Hi Tracey, Comvita is the most well known New Zealand honey brand. They have their own stores worldwide and have been established since 1974. 100% Pure NZ Honey is also a well established brand with great history but is less well known. I hope that helps!

Hi Khoo, thanks for the message. We do change our list from time to time as we come across new information and products. Haddrells of Cambridge must have dropped of our list recently but this is not to say they don’t have great honey, there is just so much great choice in New Zealand!

You can’t go wrong with both these brands, Alice! We are glad to hear you have had such a great experience with Happy Valley. It is a wonderful brand offering genuine Manuka Honey and other varieties and they are very much family run. Comvita is a much bigger brands that is well known globally but still has great products you can trust.

I find your comment “….we have not even considered the Australian produced/replicated Manuka Honey products due to it’s lack of authenticity and some would argue quality. …” biased and lacking integrity.

The fact that you have admitted you have not considered Australian Manuka Honey suggests you know nothing about it. So how can you make such a claims? What evidence/facts do you have?

We all know Manuka Honey in NZ comes from the Leptospermum bush specifically L. Scoparium or in Maori, Manuka. This is the only Leptospermum species native to NZ.

From what I have read:
– Australia has over 80 native species of Leptospermum including L. Scoparium and it might interest you to know that it is believed that L. Scoparium actually originated in Australia.
– Many of the Australian species can produce Manuka honey.
– Recent scientific research has shown some Australian Manuka honey to be more potent than “Hospital Grade” Manuka honey from NZ. It is believed this may be due to some of the other Leptospermum species in Australia such as the “Jelly Bush” not available in NZ.
– In Australia Leptospermums are often referred to as Tea Trees generally and also Jelly Bush for Leptospermum polygalifolium.

I understand you are passionate about NZ Manuka Honey and you want to protect the reputation of all the good NZ Manuka Honey’s out there but you shouldn’t be misleading us with such comments.

At the end of the day, good quality honey certified with an appropriate UMF or MGO rating is what matters.
By the way there are UMF/MGO converters on the internet so people can just google if they need to convert to one or the other to see potency level in either.

As for me, because of your comments and my subsequent research I have decided to look for Australian Manuka honey online rather than NZ.

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